CALL TO ORDER:  

A meeting of the Fremont Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioners was called to order by Vice-Chairperson Sheryl Sanders at 7:15 p.m. on July 7, 2009 at the USDA Building, Sidney, Iowa.

 

PRESENT:   

Commissioners:  Mark Kilpatrick, Bud King, Harold Mitchell, Sheryl Sanders

                              Phil Wing arrived at 7:20.

 

Staff:                     Kevin Brannen, Lucas Forney, Brian Gross, Tammy Grebert and Brian Laughlin

 

Guests:                 Brian Ettleman

 

ADOPT AGENDA:  

The agenda for the July 7, 2009 meeting was approved as presented.

 

APPROVAL OF JUNE 2, 2009 MINUTES:

38-09     Kilpatrick made a motion to approve the minutes of the June 2, 2009 meeting of the Fremont Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioners. The motion was seconded by King and was approved with all in favor of the motion.

 

APPROVAL OF TREASURER’S REPORT:

39-09     Cost share application requests, application approvals and application amendments were reviewed. After discussion Sanders made a motion to:          

               

Accept the following cost-share requests:

James Folkes                         James McQueen – summer work                       Lowell Baker

Dean Maner                          Gary Richardson – summer work                       Delbert McEnaney

Leroy Bowman                     Bob Pullman                                                          Dwight Smith

Shannon Smith

 

Approve the following cost share approvals for the request estimate or $5,000.00 whichever is less:

                Jack Walker                           Laura Sturm                           Kenneth Smalley

                Wilbur Welchans                 Lynn Benson                        Mark Fichter

 

Approve the following summer cost share approvals to be completed by September 30, 2009:

Gary Richardson                  James F. McQueen

 

Approve the amendment application from Leroy Bowman to extend the cost-share project completion date to November 15, 2009;

 

And to decline the cost-share application request by Richard Binder to install a terraces and tile on T3360. The motion was seconded by King and showed all in favor.

 

Tenant, John Beem was in the office on 6/16/2009 to apply for cost-share to install tile on the Richard Binder property, T3360. Grebert informed him that tile alone is not eligible for state cost-share. He then stated that he would build a short terrace with tile and connect to the other terraces (previously built with state cost-share dollars). After field review of T3360, the office technicians considered the farm to be fully terraced. The Richard Binder application request to install a terrace and tile on T3360 was declined because of the high demand for cost-share dollars and the number of project applications with higher priority.

 

 

BOARD DEVELOPMENT – The Board reviewed the Civil Rights Act and Affirmative Action.

               

 

BUSINESS:

Ø       Hound Dog Maintenance

40-09     Brian Ettleman presented an invoice for maintenance on Hound Dog watershed sites. Ettleman reported that all trees are cut but he still needs to pile cut trees on 3 dam sites, burn piles and retreat some trees. He stated he should be finished in two weeks. Mitchell made a motion to pay Brian Ettleman $13, 635 for maintenance done to Hound Dog Watershed. Sanders seconded the motion that showed all in favor.

 

Ø       Watershed Inspections

41-09     Brian Laughlin gave a presentation of the watershed inspections on Hound Dog and Simpson watersheds. King made a motion to approve the invoices from Brian Laughlin for watershed inspections on Hound Dog and Simpson watersheds. Sanders seconded the motion that passed unanimously.

 

Ø       Hamburg M-1 Emergency Action Plan

42-09     The Hamburg M-1 Emergency Action Plan was reviewed and discussed. It was decided to send a copy of the plan to all parties involved and to schedule a meeting to approve and sign the plan. A motion was made by Kilpatrick, seconded by Sanders to give Phil Wing approval to sign on behalf of the district. The motion showed all in favor.

 

Ø       Two Rivers Quarterly Report

43-09     Mitchell made a motion to approve the Two Rivers Quarterly Report presented by Luke Forney. The motion was seconded by King and approved by all.

 

Ø       Building

44-09     Grape Community Hospital has been late with the majority of their mortgage payments on the building located at 301 Main, Sidney, Iowa. Sanders made a motion to send a reminder to the Board of the hospital with a copy to the hospital administrator that payment is due on the 1st of each month. Mitchell seconded the motion that passed unanimously.

 

Ø       Drill

                Bobby Benton, who is a member of the Fremont County Conservation Board, was in the office asking if rent was collected from persons using the drill. Grebert informed him that there is a fee of $10.00 per acre. Benton stated that the Conservation Board had paid for half of the drill and was wondering if half of the proceeds should be going to the Conservation Board. The Conservation Board is looking for ways to generate income. Grebert could not find where the Conservation Board had paid for half of the drill, but the district had received a $5,000 grant in August, 2001 from Fremont County Auditor for a Watershed Development Grant.

 

Ø       Section 1619 of the 2008 Farm Bill

                Section 1619 of the 2008 Farm Bill requires certification by all non-USDA employees who need or want access to any participant information. The 1619 certifications need to be signed by any/all non-USDA partners, employees, contractors before NRCS can give them access to information. Commissioners were given 1619 forms for signatures.

 

Ø       CDI Annual Dues

45-09     Sanders made a motion to pay CDI annual dues in the amount of $850.00. The motion was seconded by Kilpatrick and passed with all in favor.

 

Ø       State Budget

                Information regarding the state budget that was received from Chuck Gipp, Director of Division of Soil Conservation – Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Karey Claghorn, Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture was reviewed.

 

SIGNED APPROVALS

        Conservation Plans

Shane Smith

Barton Lemrick

John Long

John Long

Betty Trewet & Nancy Kedzior

Sean Smith

Terry Lewis

Shannon Smith

Gil Gee

 

Contracts/Contract Modifications          

                Tom McDonald

                Michael McDonald Estate

                Rollin Hills Farm LLC

                Rollin Hills Farm LLC

                Joe Gutschenritter

                Frances Nahkunst Rev Trust

                Rollin Hills Farm LLC

 

        Cost-share Certification

                Michael Gallo

                Rodney Carter

                Arnold Shirley

                Star Ann Kloberdanz                                          

 

        Maintenance Agreements

                Michael Gallo

                Rodney Carter

                Arnold Shirley

                Star Ann Kloberdanz                                          

 

        LWPP Application/Amendment

               

        Buffer Initiative

                                               

        Stewardship Initiative

               

        Cooperator Agreement

 

        Statement as to Soil Conservation Refund

               

        Application for Impoundment Structure Property Tax Exemption

               

        Information Items

  • Next Meeting – August 4, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
  • Fremont County Conservation Golf Tournament – Friday, July 10th
  • Fremont County Fair
    • Barbeque – Thursday, July 16th – 5:00 p.m.
    • Awards – Friday, July 17th – 6:30 p.m.
  • CDI Fall Regional Meeting – August 25, 2009 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Corning, Iowa (Turner Room)

 

MEETING ADJOURNED:  9:35 p.m.

 

 

 

                /s/                                                                                                                           /s/                                                          

Secretary                                                                                                               Chairperson

 

Date Approved    08/04/09